Will they be cheaper, like booze, diy tools and fittings, etc. that get grabbed during the cheap Calais coach shopping jaunts that are favoured amongst the great unwashed?

Probably.

If you go direct and are account-managed you get given higher pricing (anything from £10 to £100 more PER PC) than going via a reseller (unless it's your first few orders). They also refuse to deliver direct when you buy via reseller to punish them/you for not going direct, so reseller has to take delivery at their office then send them out to your own premises.

Not quite sure why they do it, but it's a really stupid sales model.

YMMV if you have a nice account manager though.